Salvation
by Fred2gen
Summary: After losing Harry in the war, Hermione and Ron married thinking that it would have been what their friend wanted. Five years later Fred plans on showing Hermione that Ron isn't the man she should be with. F/H
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Nope, I'm not J.K. Rowling, so they aren't mine

_**Prologue**_

It's been five years. Sometimes I can't really believe it, alright most times I can't believe it. Five years since the pitch burned to ashes around our feet. Five years since McGonagall took the place of Headmaster. Five years since the last of the Marauders went to be with his friends and lover. His wife following behind. Five years since the reign of terror was finally, truly ended. Five years since my best friend gave his all, his life to save mankind.

Ron went into a tailspin after Harry died. Knowing he needed me to be strong when he couldn't was the only thing that kept me going. Ginny was heartbroken for years, but Dean was able to get her to enjoy life again. They've been married for nearly three years now, and have a little girl, and another on it's way. Ron and I married after that first year, we figured it was what Harry would have wanted. We lost a lot of people in that war, but thankfully all of the Weasley's made it through.

George and Angelina got married as well. Everyone thought she would marry Fred, but she finally told him that she had always felt like she belonged more with George. Fred was in complete agreement, and was George's best man at the wedding. Charlie's husband works in Romania with him, and they just got turned down for the third time to adopt a baby. Percy and Oliver Wood found each other again after the war, they were friend's for a while, but as the tides turned their feelings changed. They are now engaged to be married. Bill and Fleur are still happily married. The only one that isn't happily committed to someone is Fred, and he says that he is happily committed to work.

I was working in the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. A few years after the war though my psychiatrists asked me to write down memories in a journal. I believed I had a gift for writing, and knew that everyone would want to read Ron and I's side of the story. My journal was turned into a best selling novel. I've since gone on to write two more novels, and with the success of them all, and Ron's job, I am financially stable enough to stay at home and write.

Ron went on to achieve his and Harry's dream of being an auror. He didn't even have to apply. Kingsley Shacklebolt was given the honor of being in charge on the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and offered it to him. He had to go through some training, but it was a breeze for him since he had already tracked and fought dark wizards. He throws most of his energy into his job, and those that are close to him can tell that the loss of Harry still makes it hard for him to get out of bed most days.

The rest of the Order has moved on with their lives. Five years have passed, nearly a decade. The war will never be forgotten, and the Potters will always be remembered as the bravest of heroes. I once heard a young teen make a joke about, "the boy-that-lived become the man-that-died." His friend quickly corrected him calling my old friend, "the boy-that-lived become the man that sacrificed his life for others freedom." Those that lost people in the war had to keep moving, had to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

A/N: Reviews are always greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Still not mine, darn, belongs to the great J.K. Rowling

A/N: This is where I'll warn you that this story deals with some dark themes, even you don't like those I would suggest not reading it. It is still a Fremoine story, and there are lots of little bits to lighten it up. I also am not sure how long it is going to be. I hope you all enjoy the ride.

_**Chapter 1**_

The Gingotts clock rung twelve times over the packed street of Diagon Alley. The door of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes burst open as a little boy ran from his sister carrying what looked to be her doll. He stopped on the other side of the street and pretended to chuck it towards a puddle. The little girl refused to cross the street without their mother, and instead wailed at her taunter to give her dolly back. The children's mother and father strolled out of the shop seconds later, and while the mother helped the daughter cross the road the father crossed quickly and scolded his son. When the mother and daughter had arrived on the other side the little boy held the dolly out to his sister and apologized. The little girl checked her dolly over for any sign of damage, and seeing none threw her arms around her brother in forgiveness.

Near the door of the shop the family had exited stood a young woman in her early twenties with bushy brown hair. She smiled at the scene that had just played out before her, and entered the crowded shop.

"Hermione," a voice shouted above all the ruckus that was this most popular joke store in all of magical Britian. Hermione looked up to the stairs that connected the first and second levels and saw a tall man with fiery red hair holding up his arms over his head in his excitement to see the new patron. She smiled at him, wondering how anyone could be that excited to see her when they saw her everyday. Her own husband never had such a glowing smile threaten to break his face when he saw her.

"Hello Fred," she called back before the new stand near the door caught her eye. He was already trying to get through his customers and down the stairs, so she didn't feel bad for breaking the moment to go examine the new merchandise. They looked like party favors, over-sized whistles, bubbles, and different kinds of noise makers. She had learned in all of her years of knowing the Weasleys to examine everything with her eyes at different angles before daring to pick something up. While she was searching for a warning of any kind Fred made his way to her side.

"They're safe," he told her as he nudged her with his shoulder. "Try the bubbles."

She gave him a wary look before gentle reaching for a red bottle of bubbles. He moved to stand behind her, and turned her so that she wouldn't get any of the bubbles on the stand. She became even more cautious, and slowly opened the bottle before blowing a short breath through the hole. Instead of clear bubbles, tiny specks of fizzing lights flew out of the wand. She blew a steady breathe into the hole, and instead of tiny specks a large ball of light began to grow. Fred pulled her back when it finally detached from the wand, and began to float above the shoppers. Many of the shoppers looked up at the ball of crackling light and when it finally touched the bottom of second level's platform it exploded with a great boom.

"Firecracker bubbles?" She asked, a small smile on her face showing how entertained she was with the idea.

"Yeah," Fred beamed at the small glint of pride that shined in her eyes. "It was my idea. Ready to go to lunch?" He asked as she put the bottle down.

"More then, I'm starving. I got involved in a chapter and forgot to get something for breakfast." She said as she touched the back of her neck. The smile on Fred's face disappeared for a moment, but it was back so quickly that she barely had time to register it.

"Well then, we better get some food in that tummy before we have a true starving artist on our hands." He said as he poked her in her side. She jumped, and he laughed knowing that he had gotten her right in one of her most ticklish spots.

"You are evil Fred Weasley," Hermione reminded him as he walked away to tell George he was taking his lunch break. He tossed his head back in a laugh, turned around and winked at her. She smiled to herself as she waited for him.

"Ready," he asked a few minutes later as he held out the door for her. She nodded, and gave him a word of thanks for holding the door as she walked out. He shrugged, and let the door shut as he placed his hand on her back to lead her the restaurant they were going to eat that day. They walked in a comfortable silence as they manuevered around the masses crowding Diagon Alley.

Hermione barely came up to the mid of the tall Weasley's upper arm. Her brown eyes looked everywhere, taking in all of the sights and sounds that was this main road in the Wizarding world. Her arms hung loosely at her sides. Her stride was comfortable and confident. Fred's hand never left the middle of her back as they made their trek. His head was held high as he walked with an air of a man that owned the entire world. His blue eyes looked at the sign of the restaurant he was headed to, but would glance down every few moments to look at the woman walking beside him.

"So, what's it going to be?" Fred asked after they had stared at the menu for a few minutes.

"Oh, I just think I'll have a salad." Hermione answered, just as her stomach gave a loud rumble. She blushed knowing it was one of those hunger sounds that the next table over could have heard. Fred glared at her until she added, "And the pie of the day." Her voice wavered, and he knew that she really had been thinking about having just a salad.

"He's drinking again." Fred said as he stormed into the office. Their part-time cashier, Jill, could handle the after lunch down time that the shop had between 1 and 2. George was sitting behind the desk reading the Daily Prophet's business section. At the outraged comment from his twin, George folded the paper and placed it neatly on his desk, before turning his eyes up and giving Fred his complete attention.

"What?" He asked, having been too interested in the quidditch article he was reading to actually comprehend what his brother had said.

"Your little brother is drinking again." Fred growled. "She didn't eat this morning, and if I know her like I think I do, I'd be willing to bet she didn't have dinner last night either. Meaning he's spending his paycheck on the bottle instead of putting food on their table. Merlin," he groaned as he flopped into his chair, "why did she have to marry him?"

"Um, because she loves him?" George answered. "I believe that is why we get married."

"No, no, no," Fred shook his head furously, "do not put that shame of a marriage in the same category as you and Angelina. You respect Angelina, you love Angelina, you would never hurt Angelina. Ron, Ron isn't the same person he used to be."

"I know Fred," George sighed. "But he needs her, and I think, just maybe, she might need him."

"How, how could she possibly need him. He lets her starve, and I think he might..." Fred would never want to accuse his little brother of what he suspected, but that didn't make the suspicions go away.

"I don't know everything you do Fred, but I do know that they both feel like a part of them is missing. They helped him save the world, more then once. Ron and him saved Ginny that year with the Chamber of Secrets. Merlin and him are the only ones that know what happened during their first year. They had to stay away from Sirius, and then find out the truth about that whole story. He probably wouldn't have made it through the Tournament without them. Then the war," George reminded his twin of everything their brother, his wife, and his best friend had been through in the years they were together. "You go through all of that together, and a little bit of yourself is made up of the others. They already lost one part of theirselves, if she was to leave him she'd lose a whole other part."

"That man she is married to is not the boy she was friend's with in school." Fred argued. "She already did lose that part of herself, because that man she's married to killed the boy we grew up with."

When Fred was this angry with the youngest Weasley son George knew there was no true reasoning with him. A part of him suspected the same things that his twin did, and their suspicions weren't un founded. Hermione was at the shop daily, except for the weekends that Ron didn't work, and George had seen several awkward bruises on her body in strange places. Places that should have been hidden, but when a sleeve or collar slipped were visible. George was in agreement that Hermion should leave Ron, but Ron was his brother. Fred and George had a sibling code that they had to follow that said they couldn't do anything to encourage Hermione to leave her husband.

"I came home at lunch," A voice said pulling Hermione out of her book. She had done some more writing, some chores, and finally settled down with The Three Musketeers after lunch. She would have started dinner, but there was no food in the house. She would have gone shopping, but there was no money. The dark look in her husband's eye told her he wasn't happy about what he had discovered earlier that day. She jumped slightly and gulped as the redhead standing in the small entryway of her flat slammed the door. "Care to explain where you were?"

"I was with Fred," she answered. When his eyes flashed with annoyance, she looked down as though in apology. After four years of dealing with this behavior she knew how she was supposed to act, and act she did. No matter how many times he had taken her books to the side of her head, or his fist to any part of her body available, he had never been able to truly break her. Her body told him she was sorry for not being home when he had gotten there. Her heart warmed as it thought about the blue eyes that shined with an emotion she couldn't place when she had walked into that store earlier.

"And what, pray-tell, were you doing with my brother?" He growled as he walked up and took her book out of her hands. "You've read this before," he spat after looking at the cover, and tossed it to lay near the balcony door. It landed with it's pages sprawled out and it's binder laying open. She flinched at the mistreatment of such a precious book. He was right, she had read it before, it was one of her most favorite stories. That particular copy had been given to her as a Christmas present from Fred.

When he noticed that her eyes were still on the book and she had yet to answer his question, he drew his left arm across his body holding his fingers out straight and stiff. She turned her attention to him and tensed when she noticed his stance. She clenched her eyes tightly as he brought the back of his hand down across her face with as much force as he could muster. "Answer me bitch!" He ordered as her head twisted to her right from the force.

"I was just having lunch with him," She answered with a shuddered breath, "he's a friend."

Ron squatted down on his haunches so that he could look her in the eye. She refused to look back at him, so he gently cupped her chin and guided her face to look at him. He gave her a somber expression when she continued to shudder under his touch. They shared a look for a moment before he drew his lips back in a snarling smile that reminded her of Cujo before he leaned in close to her face. His voice dripped with malice as he said, "you're friend is dead." With that he walked into the bedroom they shared, and she scurried to pick up her tossed aside book.

A/N: So what do you guys think? I know where this story is going, I'm just not sure how to get there. The more reviews I get, the more plot bunnies I seem to find.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Sorry, I've been off the grid for the past year. Got called back to do Secrets and thought I'd do this one as well. I'm going to try to post a new chapter for both Secrets and Salvation once a week. I'm also working on another story, but I won't add that to my profile until I'm finished with Salvation and Secrets and done writing that one.

_**Chapter 2**_

Later that night Ron had demanded she make him some dinner. She told him they had no food to make dinner with he beat her brutally. She woke the next morning to see that he had already left for his day to begin as an Auror. She tried to write a chapter, but her hand hurt badly from where he'd slammed his large fist into it on the counter. Instead she picked up her Three Musketeers and started to read from where she'd left off. She read until she finished the book, and saw that it was nearly one. She always, always met Fred at noon. She moved to the bathroom, limping as she winced from the bruises Ron had left after he'd kicked her. She examined the bruises in the mirror. Her face was red from the back-hand. She peeled off her shirt as she readied to attempt to get a shower. Bruises, old and new, spotted her chest, back and stomach. Gingerly she got in the show and let the cold water pour over her, soothing the pain.

She stepped out minutes later, knowing they didn't have the money for too great a water bill. As she was drying her hair she heard someone banging on her front door. She ignored it as she reached to comb her curls out. The banging never let up during the minutes she took to comb out the knots left in her hair. She brushed her teeth, and the visitor kept up. She wrapped her towel around her as she walked down the hall to the door. Looking down she opened the door. Seeing the bruises on her shoulder, Fred danced into the house, careful not to jostle her.

He walked to her bedroom. He pressed all of her clothes together; the little Ron hadn't sold so he could buy booze, and pulled them all out. He grabbed a duffel bag and jammed all but a t-shirt and a pair of pants into the bag before he turned to her dresser. He dumped all of her pajamas, accessories, and undergarments into the bag. Again he left out enough that she would have something to get dressed in. He looked about the room, making sure he didn't leave anything she needed he nodded to the woman that stared at him with wide eyes and walked out with the duffel bag. She watched him go into the bathroom and finish grabbing all of her things. When he walked back into the living room she smiled and hurried to put on the clothes he'd left out for her.

"Ready," Fred asked when she walked into the living room. He looked down at her feet, and smacked his head. "Shoes, I knew I forgot something."

"There right there," she pointed to a pair of sneakers he had seen her wear every day for the last three months. He could tell that they were being held together by magic. She slipped into them, and looked up at him. "Are you sure about this?"

"Hermione," he sighed, walking to her. He gently lifted her arm up and pointed to the bruises. He pulled out his wand and healed them. She had once done the same thing, but Ron had only come back that night and added more. Fred cast a charm that healed all of the bruises on her body and got rid of the limp in her leg. She smiled her thanks to him. He put his wand back in his pocket and cupped her now healed face. "I don't know what happened to him during that war. I don't know why he does this to you, but I do know I can't stand by and watch it anymore. I've wanted to do something for years, but I've stood by wondering what I can do when he's my brother. Last night I got a nice kick in the butt."

"What?" Hermione asked, tilting her head.

"Would you believe me if I told you I saw Harry in my dreams?" Fred asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes," Hermione said. "Many times the passed on loved ones will reach through the void in order to talk to those they feel need advice. What did he say?"

"Get you out of this house or he'd haunt my dreams for the rest of my life." Fred told her matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Hermione gasped, "well in that case, let's go."

She'd thought of doing it before, but never dared. She didn't know who all was on her side, and if Ron convinced the Weasley's to look for her she wouldn't be able to get far. Now, with Fred ushering her out her front door, she wondered how many were actually on Ron's side. She was about to walk out the door when she turned to look back at her bookcase. It was empty. She looked at Fred who had unzipped the duffel bag and revealed that her books and journals were on top of her clothes. He leaned to the side, holding the strap he tried to lift it up. She frowned, "You do have a weightless charm on that, don't you?"

"Of course," Fred laughed. "Now, let's get out of here." He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out of her flat. She held her head high as they walked through wizard Britain down to Diagon Alley. They took the back entrance up to his flat above his shop so that she wouldn't have to walk through the crowds. He went to the bedroom that had once been George's, and dropped her bag on the bed. She bit her lip as she watched him. There were no sheets, no knick-knacks on the dresser, and the walls were bare. "I'll leave you to unpack. Feel free to put your books out in the living room. We can go to Gringotts after I get off so we can separate yours and Ron's accounts."

"Okay," she nodded. She was rubbing her arm, and instinctively shrunk into the door frame as he walked towards her. He stopped when he noticed this and cupped her face in his hands again.

"You're safe here." He promised before placing a kiss on her forehead. She smiled, trying to give him a brave look. He walked into the living room, towards the door that would lead down to the shop. He turned back and told her, "Eat something."

She laughed and nodded that she would do that. His face twisted in disbelief, so to appease him she walked towards the kitchen and pulled out lunchmeat and other sandwich makers. He smiled and walked back down stairs. She made herself a sandwich that probably wouldn't have made him happy, but if she ate too much she'd make herself sick. Once she was done with that she opened the bag he'd packed and put everything in its place. She walked back to the living room and saw that he had a bookcase with three cleared off shelves. She wondered how much sleep he'd gotten after his dream, and offered a thank-you up to Harry for still having her back. She put her books and journals in the place he'd reserved for them and wondered what to do next.

While Hermione was getting moved in and settled Fred was down stairs going through the motions of helping customers. Angelina had covered the front the day before so it was his turn today. George worked in the back on new products as Angelina took care of the books and other business-y stuff of their business. While he helped a little girl pick out a pigmy-puff he saw a young couple, just out of Hogwarts, laughing as they played with the rubber wands. He saw the way that the young man looked at the woman and wished he'd been able to have that when he'd been their age. He had been trying to keep his thoughts off of the woman upstairs, but the simplest things brought him back.

"She didn't argue in the least," George asked when they shop had emptied out. They still had one more hour before they could close down. George was leaning on the customers' side of the counter as he talked to his brother. Fred had told him about his dream while they had been preparing to open up the store. George had told him the same thing that Hermione had, having been approached by loved ones lost in the war in the past few years several times. He believed Harry would go through with his threat and gave his twin his blessing to go for it.

"Nope," Fred answered with a grin. "She wouldn't answer the door forever, but I didn't give up. Then she opens it, she's in a towel, and my brain almost shuts down then and there. Then I think, if she's living with me I could see that image a lot more, and it gets me back into the game. I just grab her stuff, and she's smiling the whole time. We walk out the door, swear I'm there no longer than five minutes, we come back here. She looked frightened, but I promised her she'd be safe. She will be too. We'll get her money away from that fucking drunk, and then we can go tomorrow and get a restraining order. You'll be okay in the morning alone right?"

"You do what you need to do." George told his brother. "I can't believe even Harry has figured out that Ron is not the person he grew up with."

"A part of me wonders if Ron and Harry didn't have a friendship like we all thought." Fred said.

"What do you mean?" George questioned.

"I'm wondering if Percy isn't our only brother that fell in love with his best friend in Hogwarts." Fred shrugged.

"You think Ron and Harry?" George interrogated.

"Think about it," Fred answered, "Hermione knew that life had to go on, she pulled herself up by her bootstraps and moved on with life. Ron, Ron acts like life has stopped moving. He got married sure, but the only connection he has left with Harry he beats. Something just doesn't add up."

"But Harry and Ginny?" George reminded.

"Well yeah, I know Harry was in love with Ginny, but that doesn't mean Ron didn't feel the way I think he did about the boy." Fred replied. "Remember how Percy told us he was so terrified that he would lose Oliver as a friend if he'd told him. Ron probably felt the same way, and so never let anyone know, not even Hermione."

"So you don't actually know this," George said, trying to dismiss the line of comment.

"No, but this is what I think," Fred agreed, "but come on, how can someone treat Hermione like that?"

"I've never tried to figure out why certain men become wife-beaters," George answered, "You have a theory and maybe it's valid. I will agree that something snapped in Ron when Harry died, but that doesn't mean Ron was gay for Harry."

"They only other connection between two men that can be that close is ours, my twin." Fred said.

"That's not true," George argued. "Look Fred, Ron is a dick, and what he's been doing to Hermione is wrong. I don't know why he's doing this. Harry didn't like it and he probably has your feelings for Hermione all figured out. You got the woman you love out of that hell, and all of us will protect her from him. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure out the crazy, okay?"

"You're right," Fred sighed. George walked around the counter and nudged his brother.

"Go on, Angie and I can close up shop. Why don't you head on up, get Hermione's accounts settled and take her for a nice dinner."

Fred smiled at the idea, and hurried up the stairs. When he stepped into his flat his senses became overrided with the smell of steak, potatoes, and some sort of vegetable. The table was already sat for two, but the dinner looked like it was only half way done. He stepped into the kitchen and looked at Hermione. She looked up at him from her place next to the stove. She had a brush of sorts and looked to be painting the steaks in the oven. She waved a red oven-mitted hand at him.

"I was going to take you out," Fred told her. She frowned, her eyes going wide. He hurried to assure her, "This looks better than what some restaurant could cook up."

"Thanks, it's just steak and potatoes." Hermione shrugged.

"Just steak and potatoes?" Fred mimicked, his own eyes going wide. "Hermione, I'm a man, there is no such thing as "just steak and potatoes"." She laughed at his approval of her choice of dinner. He smiled happily at the sound, so full of freedom. He hoped he was able to make her do that every single day for the rest of forever. He mentally shook himself, trying to remember to take it one day at a time. He couldn't confess his undying love for her just yet. She was still, technically, a married woman and thus couldn't be rushing down an aisle with him. "Hey, will it keep long enough for us to head over to the bank?"

"Um, yeah," Hermione said. "Give me a second." She put a spell on the brush and the oven and took off her oven mitts. "That should make us good."

"Great," Fred ushered her back into Diagon Alley, and they hurried over to the bank.

After explaining their request the goblin told them, "I'm sorry Mrs. Weasly, we can't do that."

A/N: It's been a year since I played with this one, so the writing style might be a little different. I think, have an idea for the next few chapters, but I don't know exactly where it is going to head anymore. Hopefully it still flows well and intrigues you. I do have one favor to ask. If I haven't posted the next chapter by 09/16/12 can someone shoot me a review telling me to get back to work? I don't have a lot of classes this semester, so I should be able to put a good amount of focus on my stories.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all the characters and places.

A/N: I might upload a little more often than once a week, but the goal is still going to be once a week. I went back home yesterday, grabbed a notebook, wrote out this chapter, and then typed it up today. (I don't have a laptop at the moment, my nickname is butterfingers!) Since I'm using a public computer, I'm going to upload every time I get them typed up.

_**Chapter 3**_

"What do you mean, "you can't do that"?" Fred snapped. The goblin stared at Fred with his large eyes. Hermione turned to him slightly and laid her hand on his chest. He calmed at the gentle touch, and looked into her shining brown eyes. He stepped behind her so that she could handle the transactions.

"Why can't you process this request?" Hermione asked, nicely.

"I cannot dissolve a marriage account without the marriage itself being dissolved." The goblin explained.

"Of course," Hermione nodded. "How much can I take out without my husband's," she paused when she heard Fred growl and the word, "approval?"

"You can take two hundred galleons out," The goblin answered. "You only have sixty galleons in your account. You can take it all out."

"May I make a new account without my husband?" Hermione wondered.

"Yes, and unless he has your code your husband cannot have any access to it." The goblin told her. "Would you like me to make a new account and deposit the sixty galleons into it?"

"And this," Fred said as he laid a bag of galleons on the counter. The goblin weighed the bag and Hermione's jaw dropped as he wrote down one hundred forty galleons.

"Fred, no," Hermione denied, "you're already doing enough."

"Mione," he said, giving her a soft smile, "don't fight me on this. You can't only have sixty galleons in your account. A hundred forty galleons won't faze my bank account. I'll feel better knowing you have enough money to take care of yourself, alright?"

"Fred, you're giving me a place to stay. You healed my wounds. You're watching my back. You don't need to give me money, too." Hermione argued.

"No, I agree, I don't need to," Fred smiled, "I want to. Hermione," he cupped her face as he had several times that day, "I want to. I want to take care of you. You need a safe place to stay. You needed your wounds healed. I want to give you the things you need. Please, let me do this." She nodded, never breaking eyes contact. He kissed her forehead before letting her go.

"And the one hundred forty galleons," Hermione told the goblin. The goblin made the calculations and handed Hermione the paper work to open her new account. Once everything was taken care of and Hermione had a bag of twenty galleons in her pocket Fred lead her back to the flat. She hurried to finish up the dinner, glad to see that it hadn't burned. Fred helped her carry the dishes to the table. Before he sat down he kissed her temple to thank her for making him dinner. Hermione smiled as she took her seat and they started to eat.

"I don't like it," Fred said. Hermione looked up with a frown. They'd sat in silence for a while, while they ate. "Oh no," Fred corrected quickly, realizing what Hermione thought he meant. "Mione, this is amazing. Great steak, I'd say better than mum's, but she doesn't really make steak. Too many of us, but really, truly this is amazing." Hermione laughed as he assured her that he wasn't criticizing her food. "I meant, I don't like that she couldn't dissolve your account. I don't like the idea of your two sharing anything. You're out of his house, and yeah, that's as in-depth I'm getting with that. He's out of your life."

"I have to get a divorce or I'll still share things with him. Legally we have a life together." Hermione argued.

"Why," Fred sighed, "why'd you marry him?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione replied, "I thought it was what everybody wanted."

Fred stood up, and took his clean plate to the sink. He leaned over the sink, pressing his palm into the granite corner. His long hair drifted in front of his face. Hermione watched him from her seat at the table. He turned around and asked her, "What if somebody had told you, "don't, don't do it, he isn't right for you"?"

"It would have depended on who said it." Hermione answered. She stood up and walked to put her dish in the sink as she explained, "If Malfoy had tried I would have laughed. I would have been confused if your mum said it."

"What if I'd said it?" Fred asked. She was standing right next to him when he voiced his question. She looked up at him and gulped when she saw the look in his eyes. Ron had never looked at her like that, not even when they were together when Harry had been alive. She still knew what it was, she'd seen the look in Harry's eyes when he'd looked at Ginny. Now Dean held it. The look was in George's eyes when he looked at Angelina. Percy and Oliver's eyes shined with it when they saw each other. Hermione's hand shook as she laid it on Fred's arm.

"You're my best friend," Hermione told him. "And for years I've lied to Ron. He would be so angry when I told him that I was spending time with you. I used to tell him, "Fred is just a friend." That was a lie. For years we have had lunch together, and those lunches have been the happiest times of my day, my escape. You aren't just a friend, you're the light in a life full of darkness. Fred, if George or Neville walked in today, I wouldn't have gone with them. I know I'm safe here, I know I'm safe with you. I know I'm loved when I'm with you. Somehow I didn't know just how much until right now, but I really, truly am. I don't know if I'd have listened when I was eighteen and heartbroken. Maybe Ginny could have told me, but I don't want to try to figure out how I could have changed what happened. I want to make the future better. I have to get a divorce, and I'll go to the lawyer's tomorrow. I want to start making my future better now, and that means accepting what I've denied for three years. Fred, I loved your brother, but not the way I love you."

"Say that very last part again," Fred said.

"I love you," Hermione told him with a smile. Fred smiled as he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her to him. He moved one hand to lied against her cheek and tipped her face up to meet his. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. He pulled away and she pouted. He groaned and bent back to nip at her jutting bottom lip. She actually giggled before she pushed his head back to truly kiss her. His hands slid so that the one on her hip was at the small of her back, pressing her closer to him, and the one on her cheek went into her hair. He let his fingers get lost in the unruly curls. She played with the hair on the back of his neck. He licked her lips and she gave into his silent plea. Their tongues battled for dominance, which made Hermione moan and Fred growl. Hearing Hermione's moan he lifted her up onto the counter and slid his hand up her shirt so he could feel her skin. She moaned again. He smirked as he lead his kisses across her jaw and upper her neck. With one hand she held his head to her, urging him to continue. The other one moved down to start pulling his t-shirt off of him. He pulled away, yanked his shirt off and dropped it on the ground. She stared at his body, taking in the sight she'd seen before but never this close. He was always quick to play on the skins team when he played quidditch with his brothers. He drew her back into a deep kiss and returned his hands to start sliding under shirt. She pulled away and ripped her shirt off as well. He smirked, waggled his brow, and kissed the spot where her neck and shoulder met. He cupped her breast in his hands, and growled when her head fell back.

She leaned back on her hands as he kissed down her chest towards her breast. He quickly undid the clasp and slid the garment down her arms. He backed away, taking a moment to soak in the sight of her. Her curls were tangled messily, her lips were swollen, a hickey was growing at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, and her breasts bounced with every breath. Fred cupped one of her breasts and sucked one her other peaked nipple. Both of her hands went to his hair, holding him closer as she arched her back to press her breasts farther into his attention. He swirled his tongue around her nipple and she sighed, "Oh, Fred."

He groaned when he heard his name fall from her lips and did it again. He was trying to be good, knowing that she had just left her husband, but she loved him. She obviously wanted him, and he was having a hard time not giving her everything she wanted. He switched to give her other breast the same level of attention, and his hips jerked against the cabinets when she moaned his name again. She slid forward on the counter and pressed her warm center against his torso. He pressed his hand against her stomach, made a mental not to make sure she ate more, and slid it down to her waistband. She lifted her head to lean it against his shoulder. The warm gust of her breath drifting past his ear drove him crazy, but he was pushed over when she begged, "Fred, please."

"What, Baby, what do you need?" Fred asked, pressing his forehead against her shoulder.

"Touch me," Hermione begged. Fred had tried, but he'd never deny her something she needed so badly. Kissing her lips again he undid the button and zipper of her jeans. She lifted her body off the counter and he slipped her pants off her. He pressed his hand against her stomach, slid it down to the juncture between her legs and groaned as he felt the moisture pooled on her knickers. Letting out a gasp, she sighed, "Fred."

"Yeah, Baby, I've got you," He promised as he moved her knickers aside and pressed his finger against her wet core. She gasped his name again, and with a smirk he rubbed her clit before sliding his finger inside her. He kept rubbing her clit as he gently moved his finger in and out of her soaked core. She jerked her hips and he added a second finger. She shouted his name and he curled his fingers inside of her. Her hips jerked more. Fred ordered her, "Hold onto me, Baby." She grasped his shoulders as he brought her to the edge. He pulled her into a passionate kiss as she fell over the edge. He gentle led her to ride out the fall. She pulled away, pressed her forehead against his as she breathed heavily. He sucked the juices off his fingers before looking in her eyes. Smiling, he told her, "I love you."

"I love you too," She told him, locking her arms behind his neck. He pulled her into another kiss; she fell into it easily, enjoying the tastes of them mingled together.

He pulled away just as a knock was heard at the door. Hermione looked at Fred in fear. Fred scooped her clothes up and rushed her to George's room. He wet his face and combed his hands through his hair in hopes of getting rid of his thoroughly snogged look. He pulled his shirt back on; making sure it was on right as he moved to the door. He looked through the peep-hole and growled dangerously when he saw the gangly red-headed man standing on the outside landing.

A/N: Reviews generate the urge to write more chapters, more chapters written equal faster updates.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling

A/N: I hope this chapter answers a couple of questions for a certain number of you.

_**Chapter 4**_

"Ron," Fred said his voice void of emotion. Ron made to push his way inside, but Fred stood in the taller man's way. Ron glared his eyes foggy with drink and sharp with anger. Fred held his ground as he wondered, "What can I do for you?"

"Where's my wife, Brother?" Ron snapped, trying once more to push his way inside of the flat. Fred continued to hold him back.

"I don't know," Fred lied.

"Really, because when she's not at home she's with you," Ron pointed out, trying and failing once more to get inside the home. "You sure are trying awfully hard to keep me out, what are you dining, Brother? My wife wouldn't happen to be inside whoring herself out?"

Fred snapped at the words, and pushed Ron against the door frame, his arm pressed against his little brother's neck. Ron smirked cruelly at the anger flashing in his care-free brother's eyes. He gripped Fred's arm and tried to keep enough air running through his passages in order to talk. Fred pressed his arm harder every time he felt Ron loosen the hold. "Don't ever call her that."

"Which one do you dislike more, my wife or whore?" Ron smirked. "Because no matter how many times you fuck her she's still my wife, and if she's fucking you then she's a cheating whore. They're both true."

"She is not a whore," Fred growled, dangerously low. "And she's only your wife for a matter of days."

"So you've at least seen her today." Ron assumed. "Were you the one that helped get all of her things out of our flat? Did you help her leave her husband, your brother? Where do your loyalties lie?"

"With the woman I love and two deceased boys rolling in their grave every time you lay a hand on her." Fred answered.

"Only one boy died, I'm still very much alive," Ron assured. Fred shook his head, stepped back into his apartment and tried to keep Ron out. Ron pulled out his want and blasted Fred from the door. Fred slammed into the breakfast nook and Ron walked into the house. "Hermione, get out here."

Fred scrambled up and declared, "She isn't here."

Ron tossed him and annoyed look and started for the bedrooms. Fred launched himself at his little brother, knocking him to the ground. Pulling him back up, he tried to push him towards the door. Ron slammed his fist towards Fred's jaw. Fred ducked, but he knew that it was only because of his quidditch reflexes that he was able to. When Ron threw the second one, he knew it was time to up his defense. He blocked Ron's third and jabbed at his brother's chest. Ron blocked the maneuver and twisted so that his back was to Fred, their feet tangled, but one right step and Fred would be on the ground while Ron was inches closer to the door hiding Hermione. Fred took the plunge, and tripped them so that Ron fell face first with Fred on his back. Fred pressed his hand to the back of Ron's head as he stood up. Ron grabbed his wrist and stood up with him. Ron turned, keeping a hold of Fred's wrist, and twisting it behind the older man's back. He pushed up; knowing that any farther and he'd break his older brother's wrist. Fred bit his lip, and tripped them back. Ron pushed his arm that last inch before his grip loosened. Fred screamed out at the pain, and Ron pushed him over. Fred tried to stand up, but Ron was quicker and landed the bottom of his shoe in Fred's side. Fred grunted, covering the squeak of the door. He looked up and sat the light breaking through the crack.

"No," he grunted as Ron stomped on his side again, forcing his good arm to give out and fall to the floor. The door opened more, and Ron looked up to see the mane of brown curls peeking through. Ron turned his attention from the defeated man and started for his wife. Fred pulled himself together. Standing, he spat, "no."

"You should've stayed down," Ron spat. He ignored his beaten brother as he continued his march to the door. Hermione snapped it shut and the click of the lock was heard. Fred smiled at her quick thinking. Ron smirked, amused. He cast a quick unlocking charm, but it didn't work.

"That used to be George's room," Fred said. Having his wand now, he cast a fast broken-bone healing charm. "I've broken a bone or two in my life. Are you ready to start remembering who you're dealing with, Little Brother?"

"I'm an Auror, I have a few new tricks." Ron stated.

"Great, maybe you'll be a challenge this time." Fred praised. With his mischievous smirk in place he added, "Though, I'm still Fred Weasley and you're standing awfully close to someone I care for quite dearly."

"Brother, Brother, Brother," Ron sighed, hanging his head and shaking his ginger locks. He wiped his hand across his face as he looked up. With a mirthless smirk he continued, "She's my wife."

"I don't care," Fred shrugged. "I should have done this seven years ago, but I had loyalty to my little brother. Stupid, I'll ruin his favorite teddy bear but stand back so he can have the woman I want. Yeah, I realize after a five-year marriage my timing is _off_, but I've had _enough_."

"What happened to that loyalty?" Ron wondered.

"My little brother is dead," Fred declared. "I don't know who the hell you are, but if you don't get out of my home, I'm gonna remind you of why my little brother was scared shitless of me."

"Before he went up against dementors and death eaters," Ron corrected.

"No, no," Fred disagreed. "He'd seen and fought those by the time he'd taken his O.W.L.S. and was still afraid of me in his Sixth year."

"I'm an Auror, and I saw more shit during the word than you did." Ron declared.

"No, my little brother did, but he died." Fred reminded. "He watched the man he loved fall to his death, and his soul got ripped out when that happened, but not before he'd split it." Ron's wand shook as Fred spoke in a soft, soothing tone. "You killed Lucius, right? The Killing Curse? When you saw him kill Harry? Instinct?"

"How do you know that?" Ron spat his wonder. "How do you know any of that?"

"I saw it, heard the scream, and then watch you kill Harry's murdered. Somehow in the mix of all that, all the things we had loved about Ron were torn away and lost. We were then left with this drunk, wife-beater." Fred explained. "This stranger I don't know and have no loyalty to, and so, kicking your ass won't be hard."

"I've killed before," Ron said. Fred shook his head. He stretched out his arms and looked Ron in the eye. Ron lost any sadness, kindness, and confusion Fred's speech had brought to his glassy eyes and raised his wand. "Avada…"

Fred moved quick and cast a protego at the same time Hermione unlocked the door and cast her body-binging hex. Ron's green spell deflected, his body falling to the ground. Fred rushed to him, carried him outside, appariated to his apartment, and laid him on the threshold before returning home. He flashed a smile at Hermione who was looking at him strangely. "What's wrong, love?"

"How dare you?" Hermione asked as she moved to him. "Stand there when someone like that is threatening to kill you? You knew he was capable of it, and then what? You think you can die a happy man, I told you I love you and you make me come. Now, now you can welcome death with a smirk? I don't know if you got any of what I told you an hour ago, but I kind of need you." She punctured her speech by slapping him in the chest, before burying her face there and gripping his shirt as tears streamed down her face. He wrapped his arms around her, and let her tears cleanse her of the fear she'd experienced while Ron had been there.

When her tears stopped flowing he tipped her face up to his and wiped them away. "I just got you, so plan on me being around for another hundred years. What we did earlier? Nuh-uh, not enough. I want more, and I want to give you so, so much more. Did you hear me say something about seven years ago? I made two mistakes, I thought he was right for you and the first time you went off about owling my mum I didn't shut you up with a kiss. I know that's a mistake because I still dream about it, dream about what we could have had by now. But that doesn't matter, because our future starts now and our past needs to stick back there. That means don't bring up that wall, it didn't get me, and Death and I have a deal. I keep him laughing he watches my back. HE doesn't want me off this world any time soon, so again, you're stuck with me, for like a hundred years. As for standing there when he was threatening me, I needed to know if any semblance of Ron was in there at all. He's gone. Ron's dead, and I'm so sorry I didn't realize if five years ago."

"Neither did I," Hermione shrugged, "Is it true? Ron was in love with Harry? How did I not know this? I was sleeping with him? He killed Lucius? How did I not know any of this?"

"I didn't know about the Harry thing until I heard that scream. It wasn't an "I just lost my best friend." It was the death of a true love being ripped away. I bet Harry didn't know. I don't know if Ron realized until afterwards. As for the Lucius thing, Hermione you know why you didn't see Harry die." Fred reminded, refusing to remember any more of that night. Hermione gulped and laid her head on Fred's shoulder.

She'd refused to sleep in George's bed. Well, actually, she had told Fred she was sleeping his bed with him and he had readily agreed. They didn't do anything but share a number of chaste kisses and held each other until Hermione had fallen asleep. Fred had stayed up, healed the bruises he'd pretended didn't hurt as bad as they did and watched her. With the silver moon casting streaks through the bedroom certain features were able to stand out. Like her ear that had the smallest funny twist on the edge. He'd never noticed it before, but her curls always covered in. He had noticed long ago that every curl had a different style of twist, but they all moved clockwise. He didn't hesitate to give in to his desire to place a kiss on her nose like he had the last time he had stayed awake watching her sleep. He shook his head, having promised to leave that where it belonged, the unthought of past.

Catching a shimmer from the moon was the little golden band she wore on her left hand. Unlike most, her band sat alone with no engravings. Just a loop signifying that she belonged to someone, that she was untouchable. For years he had allowed that band to deter him from every saying what he really thought; how he really felt. That cheap, unordaining loop had been the ward stopping him from touching anything but the small of her back. It ordered him not to reach for her hand. Declared it a sin for him to steal a kiss. It branded her, reminding him that she was his brother's. That was not the case any longer. Careful not to wake her, he slid her wedding ring off of her finger. Not wishing her cursed marriage onto another, he dropped it in the trash can beside his bed.

A/N: Did this chapter explain a little more of where this new Ron came from? I hope so. Question, I wrote a Marriage Law fic, yeah I know cliché', anyways I'm stuck at a place where I could leave it and be done. Do you guys think I should post it?


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: We've got this down by now, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling

A/N: This chapter is so needed right here.

_**Chapter 6**_

The sun dawned on a brand new day. Fred yawned stretching away the remnants of sleep. Hair tickled his nose, and he combed his fingers through her curls. Her hand on his chest curled into a relaxed fist. He ran his fingertips up and down her back and looked at the clock. Her was thankful George had agreed to him having the day off, but he still had to get up. The rumble of his stomach agreed with his decision. Gently rolling Hermione to the side of the bed, he kissed her temple, and headed into the main room of his apartment.

Too much sun was pouring into the living room. Fred looked and realized that Ron's ricocheting curse had shot out his window. Fred transfigured a pillow into a window, but knew he'd eventually have to go buy a new one. His transfiguration was good, but it was subpart to the real thing. He looked around and saw the large dent in the breakfast nook made from when he'd crashed into it. Several small knick-knacks had toppled over in the commotion of the night before. Even through the mess, Fred was the good things the day before had changed. There were a list of things to fix, but the flat was still cleaner than it had be yesterday morning. The bookcase he'd cleared out was now full of Hermione's books. Fred smiled, she was here and she was staying.

One of the largest smiles he'd worn in years brightened his countenance. He had a spring in his step as he quickly cast a charm that fixed the mess before walking into his small kitchen. He pulled out a skilled and pans, laid them on the burners and got them warming as be moved to the refrigerator. He chopped, diced, mixed, and scrambled a number of fresh items before getting them onto the warmed pans. He was checking the food when two soft arms wrapped around his waist. Hermione pressed a kiss to his back before laying her cheek against his shoulder blade. He looked over his shoulder, "I was going to bring you breakfast in bed."

"Sorry, I smelled bacon, it woke me up," Hermione explained, her voice quiet with sleep.

Fred laughed, "I'll have to remember that. Need Mione to get up, just start cooking bacon."

"It's an acquired habit," Hermione told him, "I grew up with this family, and they love bacon."

"Really," Fred questioned, his smile growing, "they sound like good peoples."

"The best of the best," Hermione assured. "The mum's an amazing cook, taught all of her kids. Only know for certain that one of her boys took to it, the fourth, but only breakfast."

"I make a good breakfast," Fred agreed, checking his omelets, flipping his bacon, and tossing a dash of salt onto his potatoes. He looked back at Hermione, "make you a deal, you cook dinner, I'll do breakfast, and we'll keep our lunch dates."

"Deal accepted," Hermione said before stealing on of the pieces of bacon he'd slid onto a plate earlier. She started gathering plates and silverware while he finished up the food. She looked at her hand when she laid a plate in his spot, confusion twisting her features. "Fred, where's my wedding ring?"

"In the trash," he answered straight. She laughed and repeated his answer. He nodded. "Yep, I was watching you sleep last night." She smiled softly. "The moon light caught your ring. I didn't like it, so I got rid of it."

"And you threw it in the trash." Hermione finished. Fred shrugged as he brought over the potatoes and bacon. "I was going to get rid of it today, after I go to the lawyers."

"It's already done," Fred states, heading back with the omelets. "I looked at it for five years; I couldn't take it any longer. It wasn't pretty enough for your hand."

"We got it when we were eighteen," Hermione defended. Fred raised his brow, wondering where they were going with this. Hermione shook her head, leaning towards him. He gave her a kiss and they tucked into their breakfast. "So, after breakfast, I'll head to the lawyers. What time do you have to be downstairs?"

"I've got the day off, and lawyers is definitely on the docket of today's activities." Fred said.

"Activities? As in, more than one?" Hermione pressed. "What do you have planned, Mr. Weasley?"

Fred looked up from the bit of omelet he was cutting and stared at her. Hermione stopped eating, and wiped her face trying to get off non-existent crumbs. "Mione," he finally said, "can I call you Mrs. Weasley?"

"I'm starting the papers today and you threw my ring in the trash," She reminded, "Why do you want to call me Mrs. Weasley?"

Fred shook his head, "Not his Mrs. Weasly, my Mrs. Weasley."

"What are you talking about, Fred?" Hermione asked, confusion darting across her face.

"I'm talking about," Fred began, "I want to marry you Hermione, as soon as I legally can. Well, maybe not as soon as. I want you to plan the wedding you deserve. I want you to wear a ring that is fitting for you, and truly symbolizes how I feel about you. Don't worry, this isn't my proposal, that is going to knock your socks off. This is just me saying, your last name is Weasley, granted it's currently because of him, but a simple switch of thought and you've got my name. So when you address me as Mr. Weasley, can I address you as my Mrs. Weasley."

Hermione was flabbergasted. She dreaded being called Mrs. Weasley when she went anywhere in the next few weeks. She was not looking forwards to all of the paper work she would have to do to change her last name back to her maiden and then have even more to do to make sure from the newspaper to the bank they called her Miss Granger. He was, in a way, right. One simple change in thought and people didn't have to call her Mrs. Ron Weasley. A quick name replacement and it went to, "Have a good day Mrs. Fred Weasley." And image of a pocket of parchment from years back flicked through her memory of her handwriting having scrawled several variations of such a name when boredom had met her teenage hormones. Coming back to reality, Hermione smiled and nodded. Fred leaned towards her for another kiss, receiving the answer he had hoped for.

"Well Mrs. Weasley," Fred smiled, liking the way it sounded. A part of Hermione twisted, but another part beamed as brightly as Fred. It would take some getting used to, but she knew she'd be hearing it the way he said it soon. "On our docket today, I was thinking we could go to the Ministry and get a restraining order, go to the lawyers and get the papers started, and then go see Mum and Dad."

Hermione got a serious expression when he said "go to the Ministry." When Fred was finished with his list he raised his brow. "We can't go to the Ministry, they won't let me file one. They'd go off about defamation of character and no evidence. Fred's beaming smile began to fade into anger. Hermione thought quickly, wanting to keep the lightness he'd woken up with going. "I can owl Zabini, and he'll take care of it."

"What," Fred questioned, "Malfoy's friend."

"Yeah," Hermione nodded, "He became an Auror about the time Ron did. They were partners for a while. HE came to the flat once, found out about Ron, and arrested him. They'd released Ron before his shift started, claiming no witnesses or evidence. Blaize was given another partner, but he's kept an eye on me. Had I ever wound of in St. Mungo's, bloody miracle I never did, Blaise would have arrested, charged, and made it stick. He'll want to know I've left and he'll know how to get a restraining order."

"Do I have any reason to be jealous of this boy?" Fred wondered.

"You do know Malfoy's gay, right?" Hermione smirked.

"I was talking about Zabini, not Malfoy," Fred reminded. Hermione smiled and nodded. Fred looked at her in confusion, but slowly realization dawned. "Oh, alright then, good for them. They're good now, right?"

"Blaise has helped Draco see the error in his father's way of thinking." Hermione assured. Fred nodded before they returned their attention back to their breakfast. Afterwards they moved to clean up the table. Fred stared washing the dishes while Hermione brought them to him. Hands soapy Fred reached for Hermione. His lips puckering for a kiss. She caught his wrists, stretching her arms away from her as she leaned forward to fulfill his wish. She backed away, and he rinsed his hands before catching her around the waist and pulling her into a deeper kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her hands playing with his hair. Hearing her moan, he steeled himself and pulled away. She whimpered.

"Go write that owl to Blaise," he said, playfully smacking her bum as she moved to follow the command. She turned back and saw the look of fear as he realized what he'd done.

"Hey," She said, holding his face in her hands. "He beat me, he did not break me. He did not break my spirit, and he did not kill my sense of humor. Sometimes when he had beat me to the point it was just better to stay down I'd escape the pain by imagining a relationship with you, full of laughter and…play. I'd envision you chasing me around our flat, catching me and tickling me. Do not stop being who you are, the man I love. I know I am safe with you, and you playfully smacking my bum does not change that. Promise me that our relationship will have that play aspect."

"You got it, Babe," Fred promised. His hands had been one her waist as she gave her monologue, but hearing what she wanted from him he slid his hands up and started tickling her. She let his face go as a squeal of laughter escaped her. She tried to squirm away from his grasp, but he didn't let her go. He followed, still keeping up his offense as she crumpled to the ground, trying to escape his clutches. Fred smiled as her laughter echoed through the apartment. Fred released her, hovering his face over hers as hands pressed into the floor on either side of her head. She looped her arms around his neck, tilting her head to the side, and smiled happily. "I like that sound."

"What sound," Hermione wondered.

"Your laugh, I think I might need to make you do it at least three times a day. You okay with that?" Hermione nodded before Fred leaned down, covering her lips with his own.

When Fred let her up, Hermione went to write her letter.

_Dear Blaize,_

_I am so excited to tell you the news you have waited to hear for years, I left him! Yep, I did it. Well, alright, Fred didn't give me too many options, but when he come in and started packing my things I didn't exactly protest. He's amazing. I just laughed for minutes, the truest, purest laugh I think I've had in five years. You know that I've been in love with him for some time, but you'll never believe this. He's loved me since our Fifth Year. Seven Years! I don't know how I didn't do this long ago. I've been out of Ron's (yes Ron, because Fred is a Weasley and I'll never use that surname as a curse) house for less than twenty-four hours and I'm already happy, and I think we have flirted with the idea of building a life together. He says he wants to marry me, and I think I'm under orders to plan something big._

_Of course, none of that is possible until I have a finalized divorce. He wasn't happy to learn that I'd left, and I'm sure he'll be even less thrilled to be served with papers. This brings me to my request, can you file a restraining order for me? I know what happened the last time a claim was made to the Aurors of what he ws doing to me, and I'm worried if Fred and I try they'll shoot me down. You're the only one in that office I can trust. I'm sorry for putting you in this position, but Fred and I need an allie with some power._

_Thank-you, for everything_

_Hermione_

_P.S. How's Draco?_

A/N: I hope this cleared up some questions some of you might be having. Why not tell the Auror? Um, because it wouldn't go down well. What did you all think about the Mrs. Weasley –Mrs. Weasley exchange?


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Not mine, belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling

A/N: I forgot to do this last week, but I wanted to give you guys a warning. I'm changing my pen name. I don't like "Redneckwriter1616" anymore. So when looking for me starting Friday I'll be under the name "Fred2gen." The Fred part has nothing to do with Fred Weasley, in case you wanted to know.

_**Chapter 7**_

Blaise Zabini stood behind his desk, smiling at the letter he held in his hand. He put it down and wrote a quick, one word answer. Sending out his owl to deliver the note he headed for the Auror office that was in charge of situations like this. Blue eyes hidden by ginger locks narrowed as they watched the dark-skinned man cross the bull pin. Blaise was gone for a while, but when he came back he aimed straight for the man watching him with hawk eyes.

"Zabini," Ron spat. Knowing he was the only on in the department that knew of his behavior at home. Blaise smiled, white teeth flashing in a way that reminded what house he had belonged to. In his hand he held a rolled up parchment that he offered to his former partner. Ron looked at the scroll then back to Blaise, "What's this?"

"This is Hermione's freedom and safety from a quite possibly homicidal maniac." Blaise replied, straight faced. Ron glared, unaccepting of such an answer. Blaise laid the parchment on Ron's desk, pressed his palms to the desk and leaned so he was very close to Ron's face. "It's a restraining order. See, I may not be able to get anyone to believe the whole truth, but when a woman up and leave's her husband and believes she has reason to fear any retaliation, well there's protections for that. If you are ever less than a hundred yards from her, I can have you arrested. Walking through a restraining order is a felony. So when they let you out of Azkaban, I can have your job too."

Ron glared at him and threw the parchment in the trash. Blaise shrugged. "Hermione will have a copy and there's one in records. Ignorance does not make you exempt from the law. Go near her, and I'll have you in Azkaban so fast your head will spin."

"She's my wire," Ron snapped.

"Not for long," Blaise shrugged, "but Draco and I will be sure to send you pictures of her wedding."

"She can't have a wedding. She's married to me," Ron argued.

"Until papers ore finalized," Blaise corrected.

"Papers I'll never sign," Ron vowed.

"Then, on behalf of Fred and Hermione, I'll see you in court," Blaise said, and walked away from the glowering man.

"Mrs. Weasley," the secretary called. Fred's foot tapped harder than it already had been as he sat with Hermione in the front room of the lawyer's office. He'd tried to read an article about his shop in a business magazine, but it was too formal for his liking. The only thing he'd agreed with was the opening line about it being the most successful shop in Diagon Alley. George would have like it, the commentator believed they should franchise. George wanted to. Fred didn't see the point. Zonko's was in Hogsmeande, and he didn't want to take business away from the man that had been so influential to them becoming who he and George were today. Hermione had read an entertainment magazine, and Fred had to laugh at the face made by his older brother's boyfriend. Oliver was on a lot of covers of the aging magazines in the room. He decided Percy would like th room, even though it gave Fred the creeps. Fred had heard the woman say Hermione's legal name, and knew she meant Ron's last name. Hermione squeezed Fred's hand before leaving him as she went into the lawyer's office. They'd agreed it best he not become a participant in the procedures just yet.

"Mrs. Weasley," the lawyer greeted as Hermione walked in. Hermione shook the hand of the aging man. His silver hair still covered the majority of his head, and the wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes proved his wisdom. His blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at his new client, kindly. As she sat down she noticed the brass plate with his name, Joshua Fletcher, engraved into it. "What brings you to my office today, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Hermione, please," Hermione asked. Fletcher nodded. Hermione rang her hands together. Saying it to Fred was one thing, even Blaise, because they both wanted this for her. She was so used to doing things expected of her that nerves plagued her every time she was about to do something for herself. Gathering her Gryffindor courage she explained, "I need to get a divorce."

"A divorce?" Fletcher asked. Hermione nodded. "I see, and what has made you make a decision of such magnitude?"

"My husband is abusive, sir." Hermione said quietly, finally putting her own voice to a charge that many of her loved ones had claimed. Discussing it with Fred was one thing; this was a very new experience. Fletcher's face grew hard as he took in the statement. He wasted no time in spinning to a file cabinet and pulling out a number of papers. He returned to the desk and handed Hermione a packet.

"The first thing I need you to do is go to the ministry and file this. He opened the packet and pulled out an official form declaring, "Original Petition for Divorce" on the top. "I'll help you fill it out." He wrote as she gave him her and Ron's address, the date of their anniversary and the location of their ceremony, declared that they had no children together. He sent an owl to her land lord requesting a copy of their lease. Turning to her he asked, "Do you want to state the grounds as abuse?"

Hermione thought for a long while and Fletcher sat quietly as she did so. Finally she shook her head. Fletcher smiled weakly and she explained, "H had an older partner that thried to charge him with domestic violence, but it didn't stick. There's no evidence, and no eye witnesses. He put a silencing spell on the flat long ago, and I can't remove it. No one has ever seen or heard, at least no one a jury would believe. He's an Auror, and…"

"A highly decorated one," Fletcher finished. She nodded. "I have heard of Ronald Weasley. I'll admit I would have never guessed him capable of this, but you'll never believe who else has shat where you are making similar claims. You've come to the right place, Hermione. I will get you your divorce." He finished his promise by holding his hand out to her, she accepted by laying her hand in his much larger one. He pulled away, sitting back in his chair. "Last thing, is there anything you want of believe you need from him?"

"I put the last of our money in a new account last night, and I'm staying somewhere safe. There is nothing I want from him but a divorce." Hermione declared. Fletcher finished filling out the document as his owl flew through the window with the copy of her lease.

Hermione and Fred went to the ministry and filed the form she'd received from Fletcher. They received a copy that was owled to her lawyer. He'd promised to make sure Ron had been served by the end of the week. Being Wednesday, this had Fred happy and impressed. Fletcher had walked Hermione out of the office and met Fred. The young business owner was now under strict orders to take care of the sweet young woman. Fred's adamant acceptance of the command had the kind, wise lawyer smiling softly, a knowing look hidden in his sparkling eyes. Done with the restraining order and the first steps taken with the lawyer, the new couple had appareated to the Burrow.

Molly Weasley was knitting, enjoying a quiet late afternoon. Every once in a while she looked at her special clock. The faces of her oldest twin and her daughter-in-law had not been separated since the afternoon before. She sat patiently, waiting for their faces to appear at the Burrow when they came to deliver news she had waited for, for years. She didn't know how she couldn't see what her youngest son had become until it was too late. It wasn't long after that revelation that she finally saw how her other son felt for the woman that was now his sister-in-law. Molly prayed every day that he would do what was necessary and become her salvation.

Her door opened and Fred ushered Hermione inside. The girl looked tired, but there was an undeniable happiness between the young couple. Molly set her knitting down and pulled Hermione into a fierce hug that was easily returned. Molly kept Hermione close, she whispered an apology, and the women cried as they held each other. Molly prayed that it was over. Hermione was glad a part was, but knew that another was just about to begin. Fred, tired of standing by awkwardly, walked to them, placed kisses on both their heads and walked to the kitchen. Arthur Weasley returned home, but came in the back door. HE smiled a hello at his son. Fred raised his water glass in acknowledgement. After putting his cloak up he headed towards the door separating the kitchen and the living room. "You don't want to go in there."

"Why not," Arthur wondered.

"Hermione left Ron," Fred explained, "Mum's apologizing for a raising a son that would do what Ron did. They're crying."

"Good, I think everyone in this family should have a good cry." Arthur walked to the sink, got himself a glass of water, and leaned against the counter with his son. "We lost him, weren't away of it until it was too late, but we lost him. My baby boy died in that war, and I haven't mourned him yet."

"I told him my little brother was dead," Fred agreed. "He came to may flat, and that's what I said. He tried to kill me."

Arthur looked at his son in fear, "I am so sorry."

"For what?" Fred wondered. "You didn't raise him. I don't know where he came from, but he is not the boy I grew up with. My terrified of spiders, little brother would have never been capable of even performing that curse, let alone direct it at me."

"Did you report him?" Arthur wondered.

Fred shook his head, "He's too decorated. They don't believe he's a wife-beater. They'd never investigate my charge. I have to buy a window."

"What?" Arthur questioned the random statement.

"The curse rebounded and blew out my window," Fred answered.

"Pillow," Arthur suggested as a fix. Fred nodded, agreeing that he'd already done that. "I have some spare glass in the shed, one of those might work."

"Thanks," Fred said before they fell silent.

"Fletcher is you lawyer," Arthur questioned, impressed as the four sat around the dinner table. "He's expensive."

"He's the best," Molly argued.

"Yep, only the best for my girl no matter the price," Fred declared, kissing the side of Hermione's head. The young couple shared a happy look that had the older couple smiling. Her attention on him, Fred swooped down and stole a kiss. Hermione blushed, but returned it. When he pulled back she looked at her place, and then peeked a look at his mother. Molly was smiling, and winked at her. Hermione looked back at Fred who winked, and Hermione started laughing. He knew what buttons to press to get his mother riled up, but they really were so much alike. Protective and loving, funny and caring, he and George even had her eyes. There might be times when she wanted to, but Molly could never deny that Fred was her son.

Fred and Arthur had gone to the shed to look at the stored glass while the women talked after dinner. Deciding none of the pieces were big enough, and none matched up well enough to make a new window, Fred and Arthur come back inside. The couples gossiped about their family until Hermione yawned and Fred decided it was time they got home. Appareating in front of the door they saw there was no need to unlock it as it was already blasted open. The furniture was tossed about, broken knick-knacks and books were scattered everywhere. The kitchen was trashed, plates and glasses littering the floor in shards. Fred's mattress was torn, both of their clothes and sheet's matching. On the ceiling above the bed were the words, "Cheating Whore."

A/N: Uh-oh!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All nouns and some verbs all belong to J.K. Rowling

A/N: I changed my name, but I hope my warning last week was enough to prepare you all for that. I also have some good news today. I'm getting my old laptop back this weekend, the one with all of my stories. A lot of the ones that I was writing around the same time or before this one and Secret are all there and are chapters ahead of what is actually posted. So next week I will be updating those stories like crazy.

_**Chapter 8**_

"The shop," Hermione sighed. Fred shook his head and dragged her out of the apartment. He wrapped his arms around her and appariated to the front door of a two story home. Kissing Hermione's forehead he let her go and started banging on the door. Several minutes later the door opened and a frazzled George opened the door with a glare. Angelina stepped up behind her, her hair messy and her nightgown hanging off her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around George's bare torso. Hermione mumbled, "Sorry."

"This is more important," Fred spat, "It's the shop."

"What about the shop?" George wondered his voice hardening as his annoyance disappeared. Fred's face was as dark as it was only when he saw a new bruise on Hermione. George knew that Fred wouldn't have let their little brother near the younger woman. He put two-and-two together and knew Ron had tried to get revenge. "What did he do?"

Fred shook his head and flicked his eyes to Angelina. "Can Mione stay with you for a little?"

"Of course," Angeline assured, straightening herself up and reaching for her sister-in-law. Hermione took a breath before stepping into the embrace. Angeline smoothed her hair down and promised. "You're safe, he will keep you safe."

Fred nodded and kissed the back of Hermione's head. George kissed Angelina's cheek and appereated away, shirtless. Fred quirked his brow, shook his head, and followed his twin away. Appearing in front of their shop George shook with anger. The image of them raising a top hat was burning, and the windows were shattered. Fred cussed and walked into the shop, and cussed again. George shot a spell at the burning effigy, and then another, and a third before he was able to put the fire out. The shelves that were meant to be standing between their walls were tipped like fallen dominoes. All of their products were spilled and shattered on the blue and white tiles. The twins stared in fear as potions mixed together. A yellow potion and a blue potion were spreading farther and farther across the floor until they touched and started to turn green. The new green potion was curdling and bubbling. A steam was rising from the green puddle. A crackling buzzed in their ears. The twins shared a look and shouted, "Run."

They turned and headed back into the main street of Diagon Alley. A loud boom blasted out of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The twins were pushed forward by the force of the explosion. They slammed to the cobble road, and scrambled to their feet. Turning around they saw flames engulf their lives work. The recipes and directions to make all of their products were in the basement. Their current inventory was on the shelves and a storage room. Their books and that week's profits were in the back room. All of Fred and Hermione's belongings were in the flat burning with the store.

Lights turned on up and down Diagon Alley and minutes later other shop owners that had built friendships with the venturing twins filled the streets. An owl was sent out of one window. Fred and George stood staring as their hard work of seven years burned. Some neighbors tried to cast spells to put out the flames. They were unsuccessful. Another owl was sent out after some time. Pops were heard as Aurors and wizards in yellow and red robes appeared. Using spells the twins had never heard the wizards were able to put out the flames, though it did not prove an easy task. Flames gone, the chief came to talk to the twins with a lead Auror.

"Do you boys know what happened here?" The middle-aged wizard asked.

"Two of your potions mixed wrong." George said keeping his eyes locked on his pride and joy.

"How did that happen," the man questioned.

"Boss," one of the men called, "you're going to want to see this." The man nodded at the twins before racing back to the building.

"Jake," the first man's voice echoed from a device locked on the Auror's shoulder. "This place is a mess. Looks like someone wanted to destroy the shop. We've got a message here. Reads, "Loyalties Lie."

"Do you two have any idea who would do this to you?" The Auror asked.

"Yeah," George started, "Our…"

"No," Fred spat, remembering what Hermione had said about the Auror office and loyalty. George looked at Fred question. Fred shook his head ever so slightly. George turned away, but kept looking at his twin through the corner of his eye. "We have not idea."

The Auror, Jake, nodded. "Our best investigators are on the scene. We'll find out who did this, and they will be held accountable."

"What department are you id?" Fred wondered. Jake handed the twins a car with his title and department, Violent Crimes. Fred nodded, "Our brother is in Death Eater Patrol and Capture."

Jake snorted, "Being your brother he wouldn't be allowed in on the investigation, and our department has little contact with that one." The way Jake talked of his and Ron's department gave the twins the feeling he wasn't fond of the D.E.P.C.

Angeline and Hermione were tucked under blankets with a cup of tea. Hermione had told Angeline about the events of the last two days, starting with Fred walking into her flat and ending with them appariating in front of George and Angelina's door. Angeline had been so proud that she had left the youngest Weasley son and was filing for a divorce so quickly. She was not pleased with the description of Fred's Flat and they both were starting to worry as the hours ticked by while their men were gone. Eventually, not as soon as they'd like, but eventually the front door opened. The women hurried to the front room and wrapped their arms around their dumbfounded partners.

Fred breathed in Hermione's scent, kissed the top of her head, and then tipped her face up so she could have a proper kiss. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and shuddered. Hermione smoothed her hand down his back and stroked his hair with her other one. She chanced a look at Angeline who was in a similar position with George. In a soft whisper she asked, "The shop?"

"It's gone," Fred shuddered. The women shared a frightened look. "He blew it up. I didn't know it would happen. Two of our potions weren't supposed to ever mix, and…boom." He finished by holding her tighter. Tears streamed from her eyes, most poured in place of the ones he wouldn't shed. "It's all gone."

"The inventory," George listed.

"The manufacturing directions," Fred added.

"The books and profits," George continued.

"All of our things," Fred sighed.

"Everything…"

"…just…"

"…gone," They finished together. Hermione and Angelina held the twins tighter as they cried for them.

"I'm sorry," Hermione gasped. Fred pulled away so he could look at her. "It's all my fault." George pulled away from Angeline and they both turned to look at her. "He's doing this because I left. He destroyed your shop. I am so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Fred told her. "He is demented and dangerous, that doesn't reflect on you."

"He'll keep coming after you, unless." Fred interrupted her.

"Don't even, you're never going back." He told her.

"Fred, he will keep coming after you," Hermione pointed out.

"Let him" George growled. Fred, Hermione, and Angelina looked at him. "Mione, you aren't going back to him and you aren't leaving Fred. Ron can do his best, but it is not your fault that he does so. I owe you an apology. My Seventh Year I should have told Fred to go for it, to forget about Ron and ask you out. This marriage shouldn't have happened. You are not going back there. The four us, hell the eleven of us, are going to stand together and get through this. Those investigators are going to find out he did it. They are going to arrest him. You are going to get your divorce. Then we will rebuild the shop, together." Fred nodded, repeated George's last word and clapped his hand on his twin's shoulder.

"Together," Angeline repeated, holding out her hand to Hermione. Hermione smiled, kiss Fred quickly, grabbed Angelina's hand and repeated the changed word. She was safe in Fred's arms and had two more amazing allies.

Fred was looking out the window of the room George was letting him stay in. He was grasping the sill above his head, his muscles straining and flexing as he stood at the angle. The blue pajama pants George was letting him borrow hung low on his hips. The moon's glow haloed around his body as it shined through the window. Hermione walked in and wrapped her arms around Fred's waist, laying her head on his back. His head picked up, he dropped one hand to rest on her arms. She kissed his back and wondered, "What are you thinking about?"]

"Don't ever do that again," he commanded in a choked voice.

"Do what," she wondered.

"Don't ever flirt with the idea of going back to him." He explained as she turned to wrap her in his arms. She looked up at him, and he leaned down for a quick kiss. "Please Mione, promise me you won't even entertain the thought. I watched my shop, my baby, explode today and thought I would about die. The only thing that kept me going was the idea of getting back to you. I couldn't take it if you walked back to him. I couldn't take it if you walked away from me, but returning to him? That would really kill me."

"I won't, I'll never mention it again," she promised. "I'm yours, we're in this together."

"Together," Fred agreed, "and those investigators are going to figure out it was him that did this and the V.C.D. are going to take him down."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. Fred smiled softly and kissed her again. Instead of another chaste brush of lips, he licked her bottom lip, and she moaned to give him the access he requested. He buried both hands in her curls as his tongue led hers in a demanding dance. She gripped his hips before running her hands up and down his chest. He groaned at the pleasure shooting through him as her hands traced the lines of his body. She pulled away and kissed his stubble jaw before blazing a path down his neck. His hands roamed over the soft skin of her neck, they mother together as she sucked a particularly sensitive patch of skin. His fingertips traced the shoulder straps of the nightgown she was wearing, and fluttered over the soft material draped over her body.

"Gods, what exactly is Angie trying to do to me?" She pulled back at his strange questioned and he groaned at the lack of contact. He pulled her into a kiss before explaining, "I want you when you're bundled in a bulky coat. This nightie? I want it off you so I can see the patched of skin it is covering." She pulled fully away from him and turned towards the bed. She took a few steps before lifting the strops of her night gown and dropping them so that the gown fell to her feet. Stepping out of the puddle of silk, she looked over her should and winked at the man whose whole and undivided attention she had.

"Damn Mione," he groaned, "you may be my life, but I swear to the Gods you will be the death of me." She smiled, sweetly. He shook his head. That innocent look didn't belong on the face of a woman purposefully standing as naked as the day she was born. Then, it had him thinking her even sexier as she tried to pretend there was nothing off about the scene. He launched himself away from the window, caught the bare woman around her waist, and dropped her one the bed. "I was going to try to be slow, but you just made me want you past the point I have no control."

A/N: I know, I know, they are moving too fast. We aren't the only ones that are about to think so.

I am hoping to have this story finished by the 1st of March. I have to apologize for the long hiatus. Life sometimes gets in the way of things, and for that I am sorry. I don't believe in making excuses, but I'm going to explain one of those things getting in the way. I wrote a book, my own book. I'm self-publishing it on January 15, 2013. Titled The Chronicles of Blackmoor, a teaser can be found on youtube under the same title.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I've been away for a while, but I did not return J.K. Rowling. Everything still belongs to her

A/N: I apologize for the absence. I know I left you guys hanging, and I hope this makes up for it. I will try to have this completed by March, but I will probably be still working on it until April. Life is crazy, and I have to focus on writing other things as well. (Working on a deal with Harlequin (fingers crossed))

_**Chapter 8**_

Hermione smirked at Fred and held out her hand. He moved closer, kissing her palm and following a path to her shoulder as his hand slid up the back of her arm. Fred drew a path down the spine of Hermione's back with his fingertips as he kissed across her shoulder, up her neck, nibbled her ear before peppering kisses across her face. Fred kissed Hermione's lips as he laid her flat on the bed, his body covering her own. He braced his weight on one arm, her head using that forearm as a pillow. His other ran up her side as it moved towards her chest. Fred cupped Hermione's breast in his hand, massaging and flicking his thumb over the peaked tip. Hermione's head fell back as she moaned Fred's name. He took the opportunity to lay open-mouthed kisses on the revealed column.

Fred was going to be good and go slow. Hermione wasn't even divorced from his brother yet. The brother that had beaten her. Fred hadn't meant to truly confess all that morning. He knew she should heal her unseeable wounds before they planned a future, their future. Hermione had left Ron two days ago, not even. Holder her as she slept was one thing. Having her come on his hand was one thing, but to go all the way? Fred wanted her, he wasn't lying, but was she ready? Would she regret this in the morning? An hour ago she'd been threatening to return. They couldn't do this. It wasn't right, not yet. Burying his face in her neck, Fred breathed, "We shouldn't do this."

Hermione let out a deep sigh. "Fred, sit up."

Fred did, sitting back on the bed, his legs crossed. Hermione sat up and climbed onto his lap. His eyes slowly drifted down her body. His lust increasing at the sight of her wrapped around him. She gave him a minute before tipping his face to look at her own. Making eye contact, Hermione locked it in.

"Fred, I know you didn't just say that because you don't want me. So I'm not going to think for a minute that you don't. You do, and let's be honest, you have for many years." Fred nodded his agreement to that. "Instead, I'm going to say thank-you, not for stopping us but for caring enough about me to stop up." Fred looked at her. All the love he held shining in his blue eyes. "On that note, when I was fourteen-years-old I successfully took every class available to O.W.L. level students. When I was sixteen I battled Death Eaters, most of that fight I did not have adults helping. When I was eighteen I lived in a forest, fought Death Eaters, was tormented by Bellatrix, fought more Death Eaters, broke into Gringotts, fought more Death Eaters, and was severally tortured under the Cruciatius to the point of lapsing into a three day coma, and lost my best friend."

Fred shuddered at the reminders of the time he very nearly could have lost her. "If none of that could break me, why do you assume this would? In the pain of losing Harry I married a boy I loved, but was not in love with. Shortly after, I learned that I had actually lost both of my best friends. I lived under beatings, but not one ever compared to Bellatrix."

She rubbed the arm that had the disgusting scar. Fred turned his head and laid a kiss on the mark. "For two years I took it, trying to believe I had to stay with him. Then you walked into my life, that that you haven't always been there, your presence just became more. You were a friend that brought some happiness into my darkness. Then our lunches became more frequent and you became my new best friend, and that flicker of happiness became a full blown light. Eventually I fell in love with you, and I was so tempted to leave him. When you hugged me I was so tempted to be you to never let me go." He stayed silent, but his Adam's Apple bobbed and his eyes shined a little more. "I don't know why I didn't, why I didn't leave him. I'm just glad you finally came and pulled me out of that flat. I'm not broken, Fred. I could have been, if it wasn't me and had you not given me the happiness he couldn't take from me. There are scares from these past five years, but they belong with my scars from the war. I don't need to rest and heal. I need to heal by being loved. So heal me. Make love to me, and heal me."

Fred played with a wild curl dangling beside Hermione's face. He twisted the ringlet around his finger. The fingertips of his free hand glided up her smooth spine. His blue eyes were locked with her brown. He wasn't questioning any longer. He knew that he would give her anything she wanted. He knew his Hermione Granger...Weasley. The witch responsible for saving the world. The smartest witch of their generation. The woman more afraid of being kicked out of school at the age of eleven than she was of being eaten by a three-headed dog. Three years of the abuse was on his head. The physical scars were healed. The ones unseen needed to fade. Only love, his love, could sooth the lasting reminders.

Fred had thrown Hermione on his bed after she'd dropped her nightie. He'd ravished her with kisses. He'd attempted to consume her before his conscience got a hold of him. While there would be many times for that over the course of their life together, it wasn't needed tonight. Tonight he needed to kiss her slowly. Gently brush his lips against hers and cause her to smile. He needed to softly lay her back on the bed. Gingerly trail his fingertips down her cheek as he captured her bottom lips with his own. Carefully pull away so he could look at her while he ran his fingers through her hair.

Hermione rubbed the back of Fred's neck with on hand and dragged the other down his chest. Her curls were fanned out across the bed. He was entranced in her eyes while he played with her ringlets. Hermione found the band of his pajama bottoms. Hooking her thumb over the elastic, she started to slid them down. The room was silent in their slow movements. Fred's breath hitched when the fabric brushed his skin. Hermione smirked. He stole a chaste kiss as he raised his hips. She used both hands to quickly tug the garment away. Fred kicked the hindrance away. Hermione opened herself for him.

Fred guided Hermione's hands above her head. Lacing their fingers together he connected them fully. Hermione inhaled an audible gasp. Fred moaned as he pressed inside. Hermione wrapped her legs around Fred's waist. Their breathes mingled together as their bodies moved away and came back together. Their hands, their eyes, their cores were locked together. Their movements were slow. Their breathes were soft. Hermione bit her lip. She whimpered. Their tempo increased. Soon her heavy, racing breath was filling his ears. Fred's head fell into the crook of her neck. His heartbeat slammed against their pressed together chests. Her's tried to meet it. She kissed his hear. Her whisper ghosted over his ear, "Soul mate."

"Yes," He grunted as he fell apart inside her. She joined him. Her body arching against him as her walls beckoned for more. They shuddered against each other. He collapsed on top of her. His hands released hers. She wrapped her arms around his back. Her legs never moved. He smiled into her neck. Breath still shaky he vowed, "I'm never letting you go."

"I'm never letting you go," She echoed. Looking above her, she softly smiled.

Hermione's grip loosened. Her breath was even. Fred carefully pulled out of her grasp. She grunted in disapproval. He laid back against his pillows. He rolled her sleeping body into his side. Her head feel on his chest. Her hand fell over his heart. He brushed her curls behind her ear. He kissed her forehead. Fred pulled the covers over them. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other around her waist. He sighed sleepily as his eyes drifted shut.

Fred inhaled a sharp breath. Hermione moaned, rubbing her eyes. His opened and quickly shut his eyes as the morning light pierced them. Hermione sat up and stretched. Fred reached for her. She giggled as she pulled away. He sat up and reached for her again. She gave in. He cupped her cheek, turning her face in his direction. She smiled brilliantly. He stole a kiss. His hand tangled in her curls. His tongue flicked against her lips. She twisted hers around his. He growled as he flipped them so that she was on her back under him. She locked one leg around his waist. Instinctively, he connected them once more.

Fred stared at the thin robe Angelina had given Hermione to wrap herself in. He was propped up on his forearms. The covers were on the floor. The sheet was twisted on the bed, covering up to his waist. She ran a brush through her wet hair. He beckoned, "Where do you have to be today? George and I don't even know if we can talk to the insurance company today. Get back in bed."

Hermione turned away from the vanity mirror. She shook her head, "I'm already showered, and nearly ready to go. Angelina has breakfast ready. Ginny, Alicia, and Katie will be here shortly. We're going to have a girls day."

Turning back to the mirror she mumbled, "Get me some new clothes so I don't have to keep borrowing from Angie."

"But continuing our activities from earlier will be so much more fun." Fred cried. She turned a playfully annoyed look back at him. He smiled wolfishly, winking. She grabbed the nearest thing on the vanity. Not bothering to look she tossed it at him.

Fred caught it with still intact beater reflexes. A book that he quickly read the title of. His eyes grew wide with surprise. Hermione looked at him in question. He gulped, holding the book up so she could see. Her expression mimicked his own. Fred laughed, "I'm gonna be an uncle?"

"I can't see why else they would have 5,000 Baby Names: Mystical, Magical, and Muggle." Hermione shrugged. Fred's expression relaxed. He blinked, twice, and then broke out into a joyful grin. Hermione joined him. Fred jumped out of the bed, raced to the door, and threw it open. He stopped when he saw his dressed double at the door.

"Georgie," Fred shouted before grabbing his twin into a tight hug.

George stood perfectly still, "Let me go. You're naked."

"It isn't like it isn't something you've never seen before," Fred dismissed. He stepped away from his brother. Hermione dropped the book into the open hand he held out to her. Fred held the book up and beamed. "Is it true?"

George scuffed his shoe, looking down sheepishly as he nodded. Shrugging he explained, "That's what we were doing last night before you guys interrupted us, or maybe I should say Ron made you interrupt us. We just found out yesterday. I didn't even know she'd bought a book. Must have been checking it for something when she put your room together. Yeah, we're having a baby."

"This is great new," still naked Fred rejoiced. He turned back to Hermione. "He might have blown up our shop, but we'll get things fixed. He can't take this from us. We're going to have a little niece or nephew. We just have to keep moving, keep looking for the silver linings, the happiness."

He moved to kneel beside his smiling lover. Taking her hands in his, he finished, "And one day soon we'll get our happy ending."

A/N: Please review, they brighten my day and I could use a little day brightener. I have a rough idea of how I'm going to finish this out, about seven more chapters. If anybody would like to check out some of my other work Amazon and the Barnes and Noble Nook has a story called The Chronicles of Blackmoor that I wrote this past year.


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